The Decieved
by freak4zelda
Summary: Life has just begun, and the destiny of three sorcerers are intertwined as they become the next link to another world.


Chapter 1- Lost

Just like any other gloomy day, it was raining. Clouds filled the sky with darkness, and not a single happy ray of sunshine poured on the deprived spring flowers. Santiri didn't care. Rain meant drinking water, and water meant life.

A lone worm drowning in a puddle watched the twelve-year-old as she bent down to suck away his grave. After she could drink all that was there, she picked up the worm, and held it eye-level. Her face squirmed, and she started to put it back down into the Earth when her stomach growled. She was hungry, and there was no other food. Reluctantly, she took a deep breath and shoved the slimy creature in her mouth. The worm pushed against the sides of her mouth and wriggled, trying to escape the dark trap, but Santiri kept her lips together as hard as possible as she continued to chew the worm, and it soon turned into 2 worms wriggling in her mouth. Then 4, then 10, then 20. She finally swallowed, and all the bits and pieces made their way down to her stomach. A shiver went down her entire body, but it wasn't from the cold rain.

After a moment, she stood and ventured off to find more food. She veered off to the side as she saw trees that could hide her from the rain. She usually liked to walk in the rain, but if the trees could hide her from the wet sky, then it could definitely hide more creatures. Creatures that she could eat.

Her weak feet brought her deep to the middle of the dark grove. By now she had helped herself to many bugs and plants that barely put anything in her empty stomach. She sighed and pulled her orange hair away from her eyes. She didn't like her hair. It was different from everyone else's, or rather the people she saw anyway. Occasionally travelers or farmers would pass her by, but they all gave her the same reaction. Sometimes it's a pitiful look that could end up in her getting a stale piece of bread, or a disgusted look much like the one she had when she ate the worm. But every single one of them had soft brown hair, or luscious blonde hair, she had even seen many people with blue hair, but she was the only one with orange hair. Sometimes she'd often wonder if that's why she had no parents, or no place to call her home.

She stared at her reflection in a small puddle below a tall, majestic oak tree. If only she didn't have orange hair. Maybe someone would take her in, or at least give her more than just an awkward smile as they passed her by. Angered by everyone, and everything, she dove her hand into the ground and pulled a great amount of mud and slapped it into her scalp. She looked at her reflection again. No, her hair was still orange. It was just orange and dirty. Sobbing she stood and turned away from her puddle and began to walk away.

She stopped. Someone was watching her. Yes, they were very far, but they were there, their eyes fixed on her. Not knowing what to do she darted behind a tree. With wide eyes, she panted, ideas questions and ideas racing across her mind. She had no idea why they were there, or what their intentions were. Cautiously, she peeked around the tree. They was gone. She gave a small sigh of relief, but drew back her breath as a strange male voice spoke to her from behind.

"You're a strange sort aren't you?"

She flipped around, but no one was there.

"Why did you put mud in your hair?"

There it was again. Though it wasn't really from behind, more like…inside her head. _Am I going mad?_ She thought to herself. _Yes, that must be it. I've finally gone mad._

"No, you're not going mad," the voice said again, "I am merely trying a new spell."

"Spell?" she called out, trying to bring out whoever was there.

"Yes." The voice was no longer in her head. She turned to where it came from, and saw a young man standing in front of her. He seemed to be in his late teens, but he had the expression of a matured adult. He was dressed in a strange robe, but it kept his head and body dry from the rain. "You see, I'm a sorcerer." He continued.

Santiri dared not talk back to him. If he was what he said he was, who knows what he might do to her.

"My name's Xav. Xav Rentara." He stretched out his hand to her. She stared at it as if it were from another planet. She had never seen such a gesture. She looked back at him, then nodded. Confused, the young man slowly pulled back his hand. "Are you going to tell me your name?"

"Santiri." She said so quietly that the rain drowned out her voice.

"Pardon?"

"Santiri." She said a bit louder.

"Well then, Santiri," he picked up a lock of her dirty hair, "why did you put mud in your hair?"

"B-because I don't like it."

"Your hair?"

She nodded slowly, then turned her gaze away from him. "It makes me different from everyone else."

"So? Being a sorcerer makes me different from everyone else!" His tone was harsh, which made Santiri flinch. Seeing this, Xav calmed himself down. He was never good with people. Annoyed with himself he turned and began to walk away. "I knew this would be a waste of my time."

"Wait! Take me with you!" Santiri shouted when she realized he was leaving. She clasped her hand on her mouth. Many times before she had thought of saying that to many people as they passed her by, but she never thought she would actually blurt it out.

Xav turned around. His face showed he was even more annoyed now. "Why would I need you?" He put emphasis on the word 'you', trying to push away this unwanted girl.

Santiri took a step backward. "I…uh…" there was a long pause, and Xav turned back around and kept walking. Suddenly Santiri got an idea. "Wait!" she called out to him. He turned back around, rolling his eyes in the process. She stood there for a moment, not sure how to deliver her message. Xav was just about ready to go back, until she got on her knees, her body sinking into the mud, and looked straight into his eyes.

"Please!" she said confidently, "Please teach me to be a sorcerer. Then you won't be different!"

Xav gave a heavy sigh, then crossed his arms. "Why should I teach you all my secrets?"

"I'll do anything!" she begged, "I'll clean, I'll draw water, I'll hunt for food, I'll-"

Xav cut her off. "You don't know how to hunt." Santiri groaned within herself. Obviously he had been watching her much longer than she had hoped.

"Please!" She thrust herself forward and grabbed the end of his robe. "Please…I'll…" He waited for her next offer, but it didn't come. She let go of his robe, and crawled over to the base of a tree. "Never mind." She said softly. "Go. Do not bother yourself with me anymore."

Something melted in Xav in that single second. He had never experienced it before. There were no words for it. This girl seemed different now. Her looks haven't changed, except her eyes. They seemed as though there was some sort of light in them. He had no idea what to do now. One second he was ready to leave this girl in the rain, next moment, he is urging to take her in.

"Come with me." He said awkwardly. It was the only thing he could say. Then he turned, and started to walk away. Santiri stared after him, not sure what was going on. He was already 20 feet away before she got up, and followed him. He never waited for her to catch up, he just kept walking, at the same time, opening a door.


End file.
